Development Tools

We used basically the Node.js environment as a strategy to keep the whole system being developed on a single programming language (JavaScript ES6). For back-end we used express.js, a simple and minimalist web framework, connected to a PostgresSQL database through a GraphQL API - graph was chosen because is way more flexible than just a REST api, that allowed us to easily add modules on the system, on a continuous development.

The whole system, from database to served web pages was hosted on Google Cloud.

Front-end wise we used React.js, a JavaScript library to create reactive web interfaces. To bundle the files we used Parcel combined with Babel7 to compile from ES6 to ES5.

Platform for Startup competition at MIT

HackBrazil an event organized by the MIT Brazilian student community. It is a startup competition part of the Brazil Conference, where for months startups have mentorships, post and dialog about the development of their projects and connect with MIT and Harvard Alumni. At the end of the competition we have the best 5 teams going to present at the ending of the Brazil Conference in Boston/Cambridge - Massachusetts.

In mid 2018, when I was part of the organizing committee, we decide that we needed a custom system to organize all the content generated by the more than 500+ startups subscribed that year. During the Maker Phase - 3 intense months where the final 30 selected startups would have to be connected with the organization, follow a feed of events, post tasks and project development, a total of 90+ users, daily active uploading photos, videos, pdfs and tasks.

So, as the MIT style we started building our project. Together with two other MIT students, Allan Costa and Lara Timbó, we started from a simple web system to a more complex and complete web app in just 2 months of development.

First Designs

The system as well as the UI/UX design evolved. Originally we thought about a dark interface, with minimalistic elements, however with the growth of platform’s features we adopted a more standard design due to deadlines. Using a traditional cards system inspired by Material Design.